Ã山ǿ¼é

How does it feel to graduate?

It feels good. It is really nice knowing that all the hard work and the effort that went into the last 5 years has finally paid off. We have more validation that we did it and made it through the graduation process. It also doesn’t feel real. I almost feel like I am going to go back to class on Monday. I’m sure it will set in soon.

What is your degree?

I got my Master's in Occupational Therapy.

What made you interested in wanting to get your Masters in Occupational Therapy?

I grew up around different types of therapy and different types of doctor specialists, just seeing through the eyes of my brother. I started shadowing and interviewing different therapists. I liked Occupational Therapy the best. I started observing and shadowing them and ended up loving it; not changing my mind or turning back. I also love that it combines all the things I love in life. I love that it combines science the anatomy part, it allows me to be creative and help people in the most unique way.

What specifically in Occupational Therapy do you want to do? What is your ultimate dream job?

I want to work in Pediatrics. I haven’t decided exactly what my dream job is yet, but I know it is to work with the Pediatric population. I had a field work rotation in Pediatrics, so I loved working in the NICU and feeding therapy as well as general outpatient. I would love to be able to experience inpatient hospital setting for Pediatrics. I guess that would be my dream job.

Now that you are graduated, what are your next steps?

On Monday, I actually start my level 2 placement for field work because it got postponed with COVID last year. I’ll be at Tower Health doing Home Health Occupational Therapy. I’m excited to experience something different because I have done Pediatrics for so long, but I’m also a little nervous because I need to brush up on my skills and stuff like that. I’m excited to experience something new and maybe I will like it better.

What kind of volunteer and service work did you do at Ã山ǿ¼é?

I was in a couple of different clubs. I did sporadic service days. I was in SODA. Audible for Autism came to campus and we did a half time touchdown football run with two of the local boys in the community that were really into football, so that was something they wanted. The organization and our club were able to help make that happen. We did a Walk for Autism at First Energy Stadium where we graduated. Early on in my college experience, I was also involved with the Science Association, so we did a lot of events with girl scouts doing environmental experiments. I love the days of service that the Holleran Center plans. I like knowing that our group of students that were going to all different sites were able to help as much as possible and give that impact and be able to see it firsthand. We were able to be fully immersed in the situation rather than just watching from the background. We were also able to network and talk with different people wherever we were at in our sites.

Do you have a favorite memory or tradition from your time at Ã山ǿ¼é?

I don’t have a favorite memory per say, just the time I got to spend with my friends, different random events that would happen during classes and labs that really stick out. I would say my favorite tradition is actually in the OT (Occupational Therapy) department. It’s called Senior Send Off, it is where the fifth years and the professors in the program plan a little party for the seniors during their Fall semester because they are going on field work in the Spring. It’s a nice way to hang out get advice from the fifth years because they have experienced it, seeing your professors in a less professional atmosphere and getting advice from them about what they do. It’s a nice chance to have with your peers and have a good time together.

What will you miss most about college life now that you are graduated?

I have to say probably being so close to my friends. I’m very much a people person, so being around them all the time and having to be so far away even though we could probably drive to each other. Not seeing each other every day will definitely be a little different. I would also say just the fact of learning. I love learning. It will definitely be different not having class and PowerPoints to keep absorbing more information. I’ll miss friends and learning from the professors that teach us.

On the flip side, what are you looking forward to most now that you are graduated?

Being able to do Occupational Therapy and being the one to not necessarily call the shots, but having my own case load. Being able to plan interventions and things like that, that I come up with from start to finish and just see them the whole way through versus on field work we see that and sometimes they are discharged two weeks after they start or they are still going to treatments weeks after you are finished. It is nice to be able to see them from start to finish. I’m really excited for that and be able to put all my knowledge that I gained from Ã山ǿ¼é into play.

What are you looking forward to now that you are an alumna of Ã山ǿ¼é? I

 would have to say coming back for events just because we weren’t able to have MargaritaVern, but from my work study job I was able to see it from a working perspective for a couple years, so I am excited to actually be able to come back and experience it from a guest’s point of view. I would say just coming back for different events and being as involved as possible.

What is one piece of advice that you would tell a current student?

Take as many chances as you can. You never know what you are and aren’t going to like. My freshman year, I was in one of the plays and that was something that if I told my high school self that I did that, I would never believe it. I ended up loving it and it made me more of an outgoing person and more comfortable. For instance, at public speaking presentations for classes, it made me a little bit of a different person just going against your comfort zone. Again, you never know what you like and what you don’t like and you will find yourself. These could be the most life changing events to ever happen to you.